Those in Peril

An adventure set in the violent world of modern piracy and terrorism follows the kidnapping of an oil heiress's daughter for a multi-billion-dollar ransom and the efforts of Cross Bow Security head Hector Cross to secure her release.

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Those in Peril. --- by --- Wilbur Smith.
Piracy. Shipjacking on the high seas. Hostages. Sex. Violence. Torture. Deceit. What more could one ask for an action novel. Throw in a few Arab Moslem terrorist and you’ve got the perfect recipe for an entertaining evening speeding through this novel. Don’t expect a lot of character development or any of that other literary stuff: there just isn’t time nor space for such niceties here. But have a good time.

This is the first novel I have read by the author and it is a decent airplane read. The characterizations and love story seem slapped together. The plot moves at a generally fast pace. Graphic description of sex and violence in the novel. Suitable for some.

Smith seems to hve acquired a taste fot graphic descriptions of the rape of young girls. This book is not worth the read. Hector Cross, the cartoon "hero", kills lots of bad guys, lots of good guys die, and he meets his charming wife Hazel in this one. She gets to kill a bad guy too! Her relationship with Cross begins shorttly after she sees video of ten men raping her daughter. Not very realistic, that. Smith's older books are still among my favorites, but his racism and misogyny are glaringly apparent here, as in all his newer work. Disappointing.

For the majority of the commenters (who were disappointed and presumably surprised that it was an esteemed "Wilbur Smith" tome they were reading and not another Jack Higgins rag), I have more bad news for you....... His newest (2013) effort "Vicious Circle" is just as embarrassing (for Wilbur of course). I hate to generalize, but could Mr. Smith have fallen into that predictable rut where some authors of advanced age lose their spark of inspiration and fall back on just cashing in on their name and past reputation?? And finally, it is safe to assume that his editor(s) just don't have the heart to tell him the truth of how lackluster his last two or three book were. I grew up reading this man's early works (right up to the Egyptian historical epics) and the light cast from his brilliance then forged my love and obsession with English language novels. Alas but I am one sad and despairing baby booming bibliophile!!

Smith has written a lot of very good books, but this is not one of them. The story is predictible, the characters are shallow and the romantic storyline is out of a Harlequin Romance novel. In conclusion it appers to be the work of a lesser author, not up to the quality of Smith many other fine books.